The Sea Tamers
by ThePizzaLovingTurtle
Summary: A delve into a story separate from the tides of Turf War. Of islands, of long tentacles, and of the deadly ocean. All mixed with a young Inkling trying to return home to his rightful place. A Bate Brothers' series spin-off.
1. The Starting Hut

**Spin-off suggestion by CathyMirii.**

 **PizzaTurtle Industries: The Nonexistent Corporation Presents:**

 **Splatoon: A Bate Brothers Spin-Off…?**

There sat a dummy woven from fabrics filled with straw, sitting upon the wooden floor of a cottage, the sound of waves brushing up against the shores emanating from the outside the stone walls. It sat there with a rude smirk, a smirk that anyone might want to use as an excuse to lay waste to it. The pencilled features were extremely aggravating or at least that seemed to be the initial idea.

"...Alabaso, what the shell is this?" An Inkling, black rings around his eyes, tentacles draping down his head, walked up to the mannequin with a furrowed brow with his red eyebrows narrowed. "...Is this some sorta joke, or…?"

"It's my gift to you. Consider it, 'a long-arm's generosity'." Came the reply in a voice dripping with a condescending tone from behind him. "Just in time for that holiday you were blabbing about. 'Squidsmas' you called it?"

A pair of male Inklings, one with extraordinary long tentacles, stared at the peculiar creation. The dummy completely resembled an Inkling; it had the two tentacles constructed of what appeared to be coconuts sagging from the top of its head, black rings haphazardly sketched around its eyes.

"Not even close." Xarius scowled as he peered ahead. "Squidsmas was a month ago."

The Inkling standing glared down at the dummy. Bluish tentacles drooped down from his head and his hazel eyes scanned the target with little to no care at all. A basic light brown tunic and pants was his attire. He stood with a large thin Inkbrush clamped between his hands.

The other Inkling sitting behind him had been gazing at him for quite some time with an analytical glare. Several large red tentacles drooped down from his head and pooled together behind him on the wooden floor. Dark mahogany irises stared boredly at the blue Inkling as the other sat down in a grand bright robe that flowed to the floor similar to his tentacles.

The Inkling sitting gave a gruff heave. "Well?"

"...This is it? You serious?" The one standing had on a terrifically cocky smirk. "You make it yourself?"

"Do you want it or not?" The Inkling in the robe questioned. "I am not getting any older here."

The one standing scowled. "Yeah, I know. Unfortunately."

"Brat." The other one shook his head. "That was crafted out of the finest materials the islands have to offer. You should be thankful."

As he spoke as condescendingly as he could have from the floor, in a single swing, it hardly mattered. The for a brief moment as it seemed to cleave through the dummy. The target stood there unmoving. It stayed that way for a while with a diagonal line of blue ink traced down the middle. Much to the blue Inkling's disdain it continued to smirk back at them both.

"...Hate to break it to you Alabaso." The assailant muttered with a smirk as he crossed his arms. "But your gift kinda sucked."

"Ah. Xarius." The Inkling with longer tentacles spoke up with a smirk. "Even with your skill of the Inkbrush, it will take years before you'll come close to scratching-"

He was interrupted by a thump. The Inkling dummy's top half slowly slid off from its legs and fell onto the floor with a clunk. Several boughs of tree needles, leaves, and wood puffed out from the insides and spilled across the floor with a blue puddle of ink.

Alabaso's eyes narrowed. "...What the...?"

His companion who stood at the side sheathed his brush and chuckled. "Sorry. I sorta liked your present too."

"That brush is several years old." He protested, then tapped his chin with the several long tentacles, and just shook his head. "Of course. I nearly forgot; Xarius is destruction incarnate. How callous of me to forget."

Xarius snickered and rubbed the top of his head where a wrap of bandages circled his forehead. Very clean, white bandages that hardly looked as though they were meant to heal anything in the slightest. "What can I say? It's the Hookle touch."

"That sounds disgusting." Alabaso narrowed his eyes as he stood up as an annoyed tap sound clicked behind him repeatedly. The brush of tentacles on his head draped down over his head down onto the wooden floor and tapped the floor impatiently as he glared at the other Inkling. "Just the idea of more people like you, a destructive force that destroys everything they touch-"

"Sounds like a dream come true." Xarius enthused as he leaned back on one of the walls. "A reunion of Hookles...doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"Nightmares can still be dreams." Alabaso argued with a flick of his wrist and a part of his long tentacles. "Besides. We're your family now."

"Put a lid on it you old geezer." Xarius chided as he shook his head and stood up tall. "Wasn't there a thing you had to go to?"

Alabaso huffed and rose to his feet. The robe unfolded and straightened out in a raggedy mess as his tentacles draped about his feet. "I believe there is a 'thing' both of us had to prepare for. Remember Xarius?"

"Ugh." Xarius groaned and tilted his head. "Tomorrow."

Alabaso shifted about. His tentacles swiveled about his person as he did. "You might not care but I do. You've been slacking for too long Xarius."

"Well, and this is just a friendly suggestion, being the friend that you are." Xarius hinted with a cocked eyebrow.

Alabaso glared back.

"Maybe if you let me out to sail then I can, I dunno, uh..." Xarius bit his lip and glanced at the other Inkling's face. Though at least a dozen tentacles crowded his expression the glimpses from within the jungle were not entirely reassuring.

"...Get over it Xarius." He shook his head and turned to the wall where a lay wooden door.

"..." Xarius scowled and lowered his Inkbrush towards his lap.

"Your initiation isn't until noon." Alabaso muttered back at him. One of his tentacles pushed at the door. "Meet me at the beach before then. Be ready."

"Bleh." Xarius waved him off. "Fine."

The sound of shuffling and tentacles as they dragged off into the outside was joined by the noise of a door creak. The aroma of the ocean and the sound of waves as they rushed upon the shore echoed into the room. The noises were dampened as the door closed behind Alabaso. With the shutting of the door Xarius's eyes began trailing back down to the floorboards and his feet.

He glanced down at the slender Inkbrush in his hand. _"...Guess it isn't exactly the 'Hookle' family I should thank for this."_ Xarius shook his head. "...But I guess saying 'Bate touch' isn't exactly the most appropriate either."

The Inkling let the words drift about his head for a moment. A grin planted itself on his face. He shook his head for a moment, placed the Inkbrush by his side, and stood up to face the door. Xarius walked forward and pressed his hand towards the door. He pushed forward and let the scent of the water and the shine of the sun entice him into the world outside.

* * *

 **The Sea Tamers**

* * *

AN: Hello! It's nice to write a little something something again. It's a bit of a small look into Xarius' backstory that a few of you may or may not know about. Regardless I had a little fun writing this. I have no idea whether or not this will be updated regularly. But it might just stay here as a bit of a reminder of Xarius' past and all that jazz if his character is fleshed out more.

Thanks for reading. This is ThePizzaLovingTurtle and I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart.


	2. Ityl's Island

**Splatoon: The Sea Tamers**

 **Homely Island**

The water washed up onto shore in a calm and predictable pattern. Every few seconds a new sheet of water blanketed the tan shoreline with foam and moisture. Miniature crabs scuttled to and fro among the foam in a busy hurry to skim across sideways. While the beach bustled with activity quiet aside from the noise of the waves palm trees waved hello back at the water as wind rustled through the trees.

Underneath the trees laid a small cabin constructed of stone and a straw roof. The door creaked open with a crack slowly but surely. One hand and a face peered out from the door with the hand dutifully stationed above the hazel eyes that peered outwards.

"Hmm." Xarius blinked back at the sun above.

"That must be an omen." He heard someone comment. Xarius pushed open the door and glanced to his right where Alabaso leaned on the side of the hut.

"Give me a break man." Xarius sluggishly shambled over the cobble pathway. "It's always sunny here. It's just brighter than usual."

"Regardless of the weather above this is as opportune as it could be for you to finally become one of us." Alabaso explained as he tread down the cobble path down onto the sand.

Xarius shut his eyes and shook his head as he sauntered down. "...Uh huh."

"Long-arms are revered, Xarius." He snapped back with a glint in his eyes. "You should feel privileged. We're blessed with our tentacles, power unimaginable to any regular Inklings, near eternal li-"

"Hey, can I sail?" Xarius inquired as they pressed on across the beach.

"Not by the graces of the deities above." Alabaso replied coldly.

"Oh, come on." Xarius interjected and gestured down the beach. "There aren't any walls for that to hit in the ocean, you know."

Further down the beach laid a miniature port constructed of large tree trunks and planks reminiscent of the palm trees as they swayed behind the sandbar. A large wooden ship towered above the minuscule port. An anchor extended from the side of the hull and dipped into the water. Small white flaps of cloth laid low on the thick masts that stood tall and proud upon the wooden vessel's deck. Ropes dangled off the masts in seemingly simple knots.

"Look, you keep goin' on and on about me and how I'm supposed to be all 'long-arm' like." Xarius interjected.

"Sailing won't teach you." Alabaso scoffed and walked in front of him. "It's a blessing. Not a basic privilege."

"I've told you before." Xarius scowled and nodded towards the vessel. "I know how to hoist the sails. Port from starboard. Most importantly- You're gonna love this. How NOT to use the cannons in the brig."

"Those cannons wouldn't work in the slightest. Rusted and unused for Cod knows how long." Alabaso explained and stepped forward. "It matters little. I sail us to retrieve Ityl-"

"How dashing." Xarius crossed his arms behind his head tiredly. "'Retrievin' your wife like bagging groceries."

"...Then to Marinarin Isle for the ritual ceremony." He finished with a gruff scoff. "Whatever you do by yourself or with that...brush of yours for the remainder of the day is up to you." Alabaso took as step off the sand onto the sturdy wood. "...provided he survives."

"Oy!" Xarius called out from behind. "What was that?"

"Provided you don't mishandle the ritual." Alabaso scoffed again.

Alabaso's tentacles pooled about his feet in a pasta-like mess. They wiggled on the planks restlessly as Alabaso's eyes were trained on the vessel and shot up straight suddenly. Lifted high into the air, Alabaso lifted himself back towards the deck of the ship, his tentacles slowly restricted back into a slightly less ridiculous mop on the crisp wooden deck.

He glanced over the side. "Need my assistance?"

Xarius cocked his head down from the minuscule dock next to the mountain of a ship starboard. "I dunno. Do I?"

"Watch that mouth." Alabaso warned and extended one of his long tentacles down the side of the starboard.

It draped down and over not unlike a rope. A suction cup rolled out at the end towards Xarius. He stepped forward and raised his boot up to the suction cup and, to his irritation, watched as the tentacle rolled back. Xarius glared back up towards the ship deck where Alabaso simply shook his head down in disapproval at him. Xarius shook his head back in exasperation and lowered his boot onto the dock. He reached out for the tentacle, watched as it wrapped around his right arm, and let himself be hauled up through the air.

The tentacle let go as he cleared the deck and gravity provided the rest. Immediately as his landed on his feet, Xarius stretched his arms, and yawned. "Aaaalright." He glanced over at Alabaso. "...Not even a 'welcome aboard'?"

Alabaso turned his head and ignored him. His tentacles stretched out, some towards the flat sails, others to the prominent ship wheel, the tendrils wriggling like flashes of red lightning as they shot out from his head. Within seconds the sails were hoisted up to their full, proud positions at the tops of the masts and this ship was prepared to steer. One tentacle sailed over the starboard of the ship, and with the sound of a chain rattling, the anchor had been pulled back over back into the vessel.

All while his tentacles erratically multitasked around him Alabaso ascended up a short staircase to the ship wheel. His red irises glinted back at Xarius. "Don't fall over the side."

"Please." It was Xarius' turn to scoff. "That'll never happen."

Alabaso's tentacles stretched behind the sails and began to stretch about one another. Eventually after a few moments of weaving they formed into a sort of a paper fan. The fan made out of tentacles began to flap towards the sail, quick gusts pushed the clear sheets forward, all prompting the ship to lurch away from the shore.

"...That is actually really...ugh." Xarius cringed as he gazed up at the fan. "Weird."

"You've seen my tentacles before." Alabaso frowned from behind the head of the wheel.

"Yeah, but just..." He turned back towards the beach.

Alabaso rolled his eyes. "You basic Inklings are all the same. Let me remind you that your version of normal is driving around in metal chassis and starting wars within your own cephalopod class with octopuses. We had the foresight to stay out while you-"

"Oy" Xarius huffed. "Just flap us over to your wife."

The fan of tentacles began to shake back and forth in a fanning motion. A powerful breeze urged the sails on forward and by extension the vessel. With another, final lurch, the vessel launched off into the sea as the waves rolled underneath. Xarius stepped across the ship's deck, made his way to the front of the bow, and gazed out at the ocean.

Several islands sprinkled about the pristine water. They stood out like small sprouts in the tan sands with palm trees aplenty littered upon their crests and reached for the sky. With a sigh, Xarius laid his elbow on the front of the bow, and lounged silently as he and the vessel shoved off across the tops of the light waters.

* * *

Ityl laid with her knees in the sands of the beach sleepily. She gazed out at the ocean for quite some time from the round shore of her island out to the others. The waves clambered about the shore to greet her knees. Seagulls flocked overhead and by her side curiously down at the Inkling so close to the ocean. Behind her sat a small hill of grass and a lonely hut.

Her tentacles were dyed a cyan that matched the color of the pristine waters. They stretched far down the back of her robes and pooled around her. Her green eyes gazed at the ocean somewhat sleepily even as dangerously close she was to the water. For a few moments. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed some form of brown blotch, a blotch that grew increasingly larger.

Her eyes went wide. "Oh!"

She stood up, turned to the seagulls, and began to shoo them away. Her tentacles acted as extra hands in which to shoo, pushing as her palms pushed towards the birds, the flock of them cawing in shock as they ascended into the sky. She ascended the shores back up onto the hill and sat patiently on the grass. The large vessel rolled towards the beach shore in front of her, and, unceremoniously, shot out one anchor onto the beach. A blue speck and a red speck slowly developed into two familiar Inklings.

Ityl arched an eyebrow and stood up as she noticed a large set of red tentacles extend out from the ship. "Oh…"

She dusted her robes off, walked across the hill, back down to the beach to greet the sailors.

* * *

Xarius gazed back at Ityl. He breathed in the air for a short moment and sighed. It was calm and pleasant to snuff in his opinion.

To his left, Alabaso's tentacles lifted him out of the boat, but not before he shot a glare back at the other only passenger. "Stay here."

"You can't be serious." Xarius scowled at him. "Ityl's island has one of the best beaches."

"..." Alabaso shook his head back at him. "I'd argue that you can't be serious either."

Xarius pouted and waved him off. "Yeah, whatever."

With that interchange said and done Alabaso launched off onto the beach with his tentacles. Xarius pursed his lips and watched as he and Ityl walked close to one another as their tentacles dragged behind, both of them unaware of the small trails they left in the sand. As Xarius watched he noticed a seagull flap down and roost next to the railing he leaned on.

"...Hey." Xarius acknowledged the avian.

The avian squawked back at him.

"What's it like outside the islands?" He quizzed the bird with a low mumble. "...Is Inkopolis still the same?"

The seagull gazed back at him unblinkingly. After a moment it spied its flock circle above the island, and, without a moment of hesitation, flapped its wings and took off to join them.

"...Hm." Xarius sighed and crossed his arms. "...Why was I talking to a bird?"

All of a sudden he heard a thud. He glanced to the side and noticed that two sets of tentacles planted aboard the vessel. He watched as Alabaso leapt aboard in an instant, launching himself above the deck, and on his feet. Then Xarius watched as Ityl slowly pulled herself aboard. She blinked, turned, and noticed him.

She shuffled over towards him with a small smile. "Greetings Xarius. Today is the day?"

"Yeah…" Xarius frowned and nodded back at her.

Ityl noticed his expression and nodded solemnly. "I understand your reluctance. ...Not all Inklings prefer to switch."

Xarius managed a small grin. "Thank you. That's what I've been sayin'."

Alabaso glared at him from across the deck. Ityl continued, "Of course, it won't be completely detrimental. You…" She glimpsed back towards Alabaso and then back to Xarius quickly, "I assume Alabaso had already informed you?"

"Yeah, yeah, long life, long tentacles, long everything." Xarius nodded and sighed.

Ityl smiled. "Simple, isn't it?"

"...I just don't know." He muttered with an added sigh. "How'll she recognize me if I change?" Xarius planted his palms on his temples.

"You still want to see her again?" She inquired gently.

"I would." He admitted then turned around. "If SOMEBODY would let me sail!"

"No." Alabaso's short response was from across the deck.

Xarius shook his head. He watched one of his tentacles reach back for the anchor across the beach. Already seagulls began to flock back onto the sand. Alabaso scowled, stabbed towards them, and forced the seagulls out.

"We're leaving." Alabaso called from across the deck as his tentacles reeled in the anchor. "Xarius, if you have any hesitations, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"You're treatin' this ceremony like marriage now?" Xarius called from across the deck.

"It's a lifelong responsibility." Alabaso's eyes glinted again. "You can either accept it or stay in isolation on the one island for the rest of your days until your short life is up."

Ityl stood in front of Xarius and nodded in affirmation. "As melodramatic as that may seem, he's right, Xarius. Not all of us take as kindly to you as you might hope. If they see you trying to leave the islands without undergoing the ritual..."

"...Hm." Xarius frowned at her. "...So it's either doing that or...sneaking away?"

Ityl shook her head. "They're much more attentive than you might think Xarius. We've been using the very same vessels for a long time now."

He sighed and shook his head. "Alright, fine. 'Spose that it can't be too bad." Xarius turned to Alabaso and shouted back at him. "I'm ready! Let's go!"

Alabaso simply nodded and gripped the wheel. His tentacles weaved into a red fan yet again and fanned the sails forward. They could hear water as it splashed against the hull below as they pushed off away from the small island. Xarius gazed out to the bright ocean again with a longing expression.

Ityl blinked at him, glanced cursory back, and edged close to Xarius. "I'll help you return to Inkopolis."

Xarius perked up and stared at her. "Eh?"

"After the ceremony. I still remember the directions well enough." She tapped her forehead. "As long as you didn't forget her face we can find her."

"...Never in a hundred years." Xarius smirked back at her. "Thanks Ityl."

"It's the least I could do to make it up to you." Ityl spoke in an apologetic tone.

They sailed off into the distance as the sun beat down bright on the ocean and islands below.

* * *

AN: I never actually expected to make three stories in the same universe. Then again I never expected Splatoon to get a sequel so quickly. So I guess I'm both wrong.

Thanks sebastian G for reviewing! I appreciate your dutiful reviewing my friend, it's nice that you decided to pop in even if you weren't quite sure what it was.

This is indeed a spin-off to The Brothers and the Others focusing on Xarius' life away from the main stories. I thought that perhaps his pirate lifestyle was rather unexplained so I decided to update it alongside The Drafted Squid.

But thanks for reviewing and reading. This is ThePizzaLovingTurtle, off to work.


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